Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Mark Prior

Prior Ready For Start Of ’09 Season?

By | at

6:33pm: MLB.com’s Corey Brock talked to Boggs, who says Prior is interested in returning to the Padres.  He could be a low-cost option for them, but it’s unknown whether they’re interested.  Prior is currently playing catch (well, maybe not right this second).

10:24am: According to ESPN’s Buster Olney:

Mark Prior, who had a second, less-invasive surgery on his right shoulder earlier this year, is in the midst of a throwing program and should be ready for the start of the 2009 season, said his agent, John Boggs. Prior is expected to file for free agency. "He said he feels good, that his shoulder has never felt better," said Boggs.

Prior, 28, was originally targeting May for his Padres debut.  Then it was pushed to June, and then his season ended with more surgery.  Last winter, at least ten teams contacted Boggs about Prior.  Aside from the Padres, the most aggressive were the Astros, Cardinals, Mets, and Rangers.

Season-Ending Surgery For Prior

By | at

MLB.com’s Corey Brock reports that San Diego Padres pitcher Mark Prior will have season-ending surgery to repair a torn muscle in his shoulder. The Padres signed the injury-plagued starter to a $1MM contract this offseason.

While the news of Prior having to miss a season due to surgery doesn’t come as much of a surprise, a healthy rebound would have been a bright spot in what has otherwise been a tough season for the Padres. The team saw Jake Peavy, Chris Young, and Josh Bard all hit the DL in May.

It’s unfortunate, but it seems like this will make teams even more hesitant to look at Prior this offseason. The right-hander undoubtedly has great talent, but has pitched just 43.2 innings since the beginning of the 2006 season.

More Prior Details

By | at

Bill Center of the San Diego Union-Tribune has more details on Mark Prior’s contract and suitors.

Prior cited the Astros, Cardinals, Mets, and Rangers as the most aggressive; about half the teams in baseball contacted his agent.

Contract details: it has a $1MM base with another possible $3.5MM in incentives.  However, much of the incentive money is tied to the number of starts he makes, so he’ll probably end up earning $3MM or less in 2008.

How bad was the shoulder injury?  How far along is Prior in his rehab?  I’ve talked to some people and read published reports and am unable to draw any consistent conclusion.  Rick Wilton of Baseball Injury Report thinks the chance of a meaningful contribution from Prior in ’08 is close to zero.  Others are a bit more optimistic, but we’ll just have to wait and see.   

Prior Signs With Padres

By | at

UPDATE, 12-26-07 at 4:33pm: Prior gets $1MM guaranteed and can earn another $4.5MM in incentives.

FROM 12-26-07 at 1:05pm:

Ah, some real news.  ESPN’s Buster Olney reports that the Padres have reached an agreement with Mark Prior.  It’s a one-year deal with a low $1MM base.  Olney says incentives could bring the total past $3MM, which is still a very reasonable gamble.  Now Prior can rebuild his value in a great pitcher’s park and re-enter free agency in a year.  Click here to read about the specific shoulder damage Prior had repaired.

Prior is throwing on flat ground currently, and there’s talk of mid-May.  I think three solid months out of Prior would be more realistic, though.  The Padres’ rotation will contain two ex-Cubs, Prior and Greg Maddux.  With Jake Peavy, Chris Young, and Randy Wolf on board, the rotation is certainly impressive on paper.

White Sox Not Interested In Prior

By | at

On December 19th, ESPN’s Jayson Stark named the White Sox as one of eleven teams interested in free agent starter Mark Prior.  However, White Sox GM Kenny Williams was asked whether he had interest in Prior yesterday and replied in the negative (hat tip to South Side Sox).  So, no Prior jerseys on the south side.

The current scoreboard on Prior: the Red Sox, Mets, Cardinals, Padres, Astros, Giants, Reds, Nationals, Marlins, and Indians are in.  The Yankees, White Sox, Rangers, Phillies, and Pirates are out.  Buster Olney recently said that Prior could make his decision by this evening and named San Diego as the frontrunner.

Rangers Rumors: Guardado, Cameron, Hamilton

By | at

MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan has all the latest hot stove buzz around the Rangers.

  • The Rangers are nearing a deal with Eddie Guardado.  Everyday Eddie might be a dark horse to close, if he can flash his late season form again.  The Reds decided in October that he was not worth $3.5MM, and declined his option.  Guardado is 37.
  • The Rangers hope to add some kind of veteran starter.  Bartolo Colon and Jason Jennings are still options, but Mark Prior and Freddy Garcia pretty much are not.  Sullivan names Mike Maroth, Mark Hendrickson, and Josh Towers as pitchers of interest.
  • Mike Cameron could be an option for center field if he’ll take a one-year deal.  A multiyear demand would also take the Rangers out of the running for Corey Patterson.
  • Sullivan notes that the Reds want Edinson Volzquez for Josh Hamilton, a possibility he first mentioned three weeks ago.  Jamey Newberg doesn’t think Volquez would cut it.  Other trade options could include Andre Ethier, Coco Crisp, and Juan Pierre.
  • The Rangers will pass on a Kevin Mench reunion.

Padres Leading For Prior, Rangers Out

By | at

UPDATE, 12-21-07 at 11:02am: The Rangers took a look at Prior’s meds, and they are "completely out" on him according to T.R. Sullivan.  Rosenthal had said they were aggressively pursuing him.

FROM 12-21-07 at 9:55am:

Yesterday we outlined the 14 teams involved in the Mark Prior Derby.  Last night, Buster Olney provided an update to the situation.

Olney’s article was published around 8:15pm CST, and he said Prior may choose his new team within 24-48 hours.  So perhaps we will know by Saturday evening.

According to Olney, the Padres "appear to be the frontrunner."  They’ve apparently offered Prior a package heavy in incentives, and of course they have the draw of being near his home.  Olney does believe one of the other dozen or so teams could jump in and get Prior with an aggressive offer, though.  The Astros seem to be a good possibility.

The Mark Prior Derby

By | at

Let’s do a recap on the Mark Prior Derby, which is getting more confusing each day.  Jerry Crasnick has added some good info this afternoon.  Prior wants a one-year deal and hopes to be on a big league mound before the end of May.

  • Yankees – They’ll probably pass, per Hank Steinbrenner.
  • Red Sox – Named only by Jayson Stark.
  • White Sox – Named only by Stark.
  • Mariners – Named by Stark, denied by Jim Street.
  • Mets – Named by Stark, Crasnick, Ken Rosenthal, Ed Price
  • Cardinals – Named by Stark, Crasnick, Rosenthal, Matthew Leach
  • Padres – Named by many, made an offer according to Crasnick. Prior went to USC but would have to take less money to play in San Diego
  • Astros – Named by many, made an offer according to Alyson Footer
  • Giants – Named only by Stark
  • Reds – Named by Stark, Crasnick. Prior previously played under Dusty Baker
  • Nationals – Named by Stark, Crasnick, Bill Ladson
  • Rangers – Named by Crasnick but not Stark, aggressively pursuing according to Rosenthal
  • Marlins – Named only by Crasnick
  • Indians – Named only by Crasnick

One more and we’re at half of all baseball teams linked at some point.  The Phillies and Pirates are not interested, and it’s probably safe to count the Cubs out.

Steinbrenner: “Outside Chance” For Johan

By | at

Hank Steinbrenner spoke to Kat O’Brien yesterday regarding Johan Santana.  The key quote: "There’s still an outside chance that we get him."  Steinbrenner also indicated that he has final say over this deal, in case you were wondering.

Plus, Steinbrenner said the Yankees looked into Mark Prior but are not currently interested.  No worries for Prior, he’s got plenty of suitors.

Stark’s Latest: Prior, Lofton, Otsuka

By | at

ESPN’s Jayson Stark dishes some good rumorage in his latest column.

  • Stark dug around to find all the Mark Prior suitors and came up with this list: Yankees, Red Sox, White Sox, Mariners, Mets, Cardinals, Padres, Astros, Giants, Reds, Nationals (11 teams).  Let’s compare notes.  MLBTR readers have seen the Yankees, Mets, Cards, Padres, Astros, Reds, and Nats linked to Prior already.  So Stark has added the Red Sox, White Sox, Mariners, and Giants.  The idea of the Mariners runs contrary to this MLB.com article.  Stark did not name the Rangers, who are said to be aggressively pursuing Prior.  Prior is dead set on a one-year deal and would take a big league mound in May in the best case.
  • The Phils are focused on Geoff Jenkins and Mike Cameron, offering two year deals to each.  They might just take the first one to accept.  Stark says Kenny Lofton could be an option if both decline.  Lofton batted a career-best .335 for the Phils in ’05.
  • Stark rattles off a laundry list of pitchers the Phillies are interested in: Akinori Otsuka, Byung-Hyun Kim, Roberto Hernandez, Kris Benson, John Parrish, Sidney Ponson, Chad Durbin, Kyle Lohse, and Jeremy Affeldt.  Given Stark’s 21 years at the Philadelphia Inquirer, I imagine he has a connection or two.  Most of those are new names besides Benson, Lohse, Ponson, and Affeldt.
  • A source of Stark picks the Yankees as the favorite for Johan, but it should be noted that they’re having internal debates about pulling Phil Hughes off the table.
  • For all the crazy Cubs fans we’ve got here: Stark says they’ve talked to the Orioles about both Brian Roberts and Erik Bedard, but couldn’t pull off a deal for both.  They favor Roberts even though they need Bedard much more.

Show all

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

hide arrows scroll to top